The Gossip Girl actor created quite a stir (and, no doubt, crushed more than a few optimistic spirits) when he was spotted getting cozy with a mystery brunette Friday at a Knicks vs. Bobcats game at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

Turns out, the lucky lady is Rachelle Goulding, a 26-year-old Canadian model who's racked up an impressive résumé working with top brands, is quite the animal lover and has literally suffered for fashion (more on that later).

Here are five things to know about Crawford's new squeeze to help you separate truth from gossip.

1. She's Global and Gorgeous: According to her modeling bio, Goulding was born in Vancouver, Canada, before moving to New Zealand and then Australia as a child. When she was 10, her family relocated back to Vancouver. (These days, she calls New York City home.) Her ethnic background reflects her global outlook: She's of mixed Filipino, Spanish, English and Irish heritage.

2. She's Worked for Some Top Brands: The 5-foot-8-inch beauty has modeled for some big-name companies. You can spy her in a print ad for Elizabeth Arden looking fresh and radiant, and she's also appeared in campaigns for Nivea, Olay and Vidal Sassoon. And in a hilarious TV spot for Axe, she shows off some rather nifty shot-put and pole-vaulting skills as she keeps her eyes on the prize—aka a poor, unwitting chap spraying you-know-what on his bare chest. Brace yourselves!

3. She's Got Sports Illustrated's Stamp of Approval: That Axe ad scored her quite the attention. Last September, the magazine named Goulding its "Lovely Lady of the Day," providing curious readers with a handy link to photos of her modeling lingerie. And she's quite athletic herself: Goulding cops to being a huge devotee of Soul Cycle, and she's not about to break her fitness routine—no matter what. "This soul cycle that is about to happen is going to be the devil after last nights sins," she teased on Twitter earlier this month.

Instagram

4. She's an Animal Lover: Crawford's ladylove has got some serious competition when it comes to hogging the camera—and it's not coming from her fellow models. Goulding's Instagram page is bursting with adorable photos of her pug, Lola, whether they're chilling at home or sitting at a sidewalk table in Manhattan's West Village. She's also prone to posting pics of horses, whales and, hedgehogs.

5. She's a Consummate Professional When It Comes to Modeling: In a modeling profile on her, Goulding recalls accepting a job in Asia and zipping straight to a spa after learning that the client wanted her to undergo some "skin treatments." But after being slathered with a pastiche of ointments, "a very hot sensation started tingling all over my body," she says. Turns out, her whole body was being bleached for a skin-care campaign. "Spa...not quite, haha," she cracks, good-naturedly. Seems like Crawford landed himself a gal-pal with a good sense of humor.

—Reporting by Ruth O'Neill

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